Joseph eavel



- '(No Model.)

J. RAVE-L. Oscillating (was Motor. No. 236,258. Patented Jan. 4,1881. I

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UNITED STATES PATENT IFE-ICE.

JOSEPH RAVEL, OF PARIS, ASSIGNOR TO OOMPAGNIE DES MOTEURS A GAZ PRAnoAIs, SYSTEME RAVEL, FRANCE.

OSCILLATING GAS-MOTOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 236,258, dated January 4, 1881. Application filed October 26, 1880. (No model.) Patented in France November 23, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, JosEPH RAVEL, of Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oscillating Gas-Motors, of which improvements the following specification is a full description.

1n the improved gas motor or engine to which this invention has reference the axis of oscillation is placed below the cylinder, and the piston-rod is connected directly with the crank of the driving-shaft, so that the machine is rendered very compact. The admission of air and gas to form the mixture for furnishing, byits burning or explosion, the motive power is efi'ected in such a way that the proportion of gas, small when the piston is at the bottom of its stroke, increases more and more as it ascends, and the pressure of the atmosphereis utilized on the return-stroke by means of the partial vacuum formed beneath the piston after the explosion of the gaseous mixture has taken place. There are also certain peculiarities of construction which are characteristic, and which will be hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, represent a machine or oscillating gas-motor embodying the invention, Figure 1 being a central vertical section of the machine; Fig. 2, a front elevation Fig. 3, a rear elevation Fig. 4, an elevation of the face of the slide-valve for effecting the introduction into the cylinder and explosion of the gas and air; Fig. 5, a cross section of the valve, and Fig. 6 an elevation of the back of the same.

The cylinder A has only one head, B, which carries on its exterior a projection, 0, in which is arranged the pin or pivot O, on which the cylinder oscillates. The piston D reciprocates in the cylinder, and the rod E, connected rigidly therewith at one end, conveys its motion directly to the crank-shaft M, the latter being supported in bearings on the frame of the machine, and carrying a fly-wheel and drivingpulley or other suitable gearing. At the top of the cylinder is a cross piece, F, in which the piston-rod has bearings, so as to avoid all flexure thereof.

The apparatus for efiecting the introduction into the cylinder of the mixture of air and gas and its explosion therein is placed on the front of the cylinder, and comprises two parts-the slide-valve proper, G, and the counter-plate H. On the valve G, on its inner face, is a cavity, K, divided into two chambers by the vertical partition a. The back chamber is divided by the perforated horizontal partition 1", and the lower portion, 10, is in communication with the gas-inlet port 1;,F1g. 6, and the upper part with the air-inlet port 25, Figs. 1 and 6.

The vertical partition K, above the horizontal partition 1', is perforated, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and from its face project the horizontal bars a, Figs. 1, 4, and 5. The object of this arrangement is to insure the thorough mixture of the gas, which enters by the port 19 and chamber 10, and the air, which enters by the port t, before they pass through the inletport 12 into the cylinder.

In the lower part of the valve Gr is an opening, b, extending from side to side, which serves, when thevalve is in the position shown, to connect the constant burner c with the intermittent burner d, which latter afterward,

when the valve rises, lights the explosive mixture introduced into the cylinder. The dome or top wall of the opening is perforated with holes so small in diameter that the flame cannot pass through them. On the rear face of the slide-valve is a groove, 00, which communicates with the opening 12, and which, the moment the valve rises, comes opposite a similar groove formed in the counter-plate and communicating with the gas inlet passage.

The pipe 0 supplies the gas to the constant burner c, and the pipe at to the intermittent burner 01. The last-named pipe is flexible, so as to follow the oscillations of the cylinder.

The supply of gas to furnish, when mixed with air and. exploded, the motive power is regulated by the cock 0, which is connected, by the flexible tube c, with the gas-supply pipe f. This cock is controlled by means of leverarm g, in a slot in which the pin h engages. This pin is fixed to a support, i, itself fixed to the frame of the machine. When the cylinder A oscillates the slide-valve, and its counterplate follow its movements, and the lever-arm g is turned, by engagement with the pin h, s0

as to open more or less the cock 0, and the parts are so arranged that the supply of gas, small at the beginning of its admission, hecomes greater and greater toward the end.

The counterdate H is held in place against the valve by the piece j, which is pressed against said counter-plate by means of bolts and nuts and the spiral springs 7;. This piece is also designed to close at the proper time the air-inlet passages t t, and thus prevent the exhaust through them of the gases of combustion from the cylinder.

The movement of the slide-valve in the direction of its axis is made by means of a cam, L, keyed to the shaft M. This cam turns in a frame formed of two cross-pieces, L, provided with anti-friction rollers I, and two vertical rods, P, which connect the cross-pieces L, and, extending downward, carry at their lower ends a slotted plate, Q. The rods P are supported in hearings on the frame of the machine. A pin, q, fixed to the upper part of the valve G, plays in the slot in this plate. As the cam revolves it raises and lowers the plate, and with it the slide-valve, which, at the same time, is able to follow the oscillations of the cylinder. The same movement can also be obtained by means of levers.

A centrifugal governor, 1%, serves to regulate the introduction of gas by opening more or less, according to the position of the balls, the supply-valve in the pipe f. In a word, it acts in the same manner as in steam-engines, only controlling the supply of gas instead of steam.

The exhaust takes place at the back of the cylinder, and is regulated by the valve N. This valve is held against the cylinder by means of bolts, spiral springs surrounding the bolts, and nuts 12, for compressing the springs. T is an exhaust-pipe. The exhaust-port of the cylinder is lettered r, and the exhaust takes place when this comes opposite the opening 2) into the interior of the valve N. The walls and head of the cylinder are provided with passages, through which water can be forced by means of the supply-pipe s and outlet-pipe s.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The cock f being opened, the constant burner c is lighted, and the machine started by turning the fly-wheel so as to elevate the piston, which should have been left at the bottom of its stroke when the machine was stopped. As the piston advances the combustible or explosive mixture of air and gas in proper proportions is drawn into the cylinder. The air enters the cavity K through the passages t t, and is therein mixed with the gas, which is brought through the pipesf, governor-valve, flexible tube a, cock 0, and portp into the chamberp, whence it passes through the perforated partition 1'. The gas and air then flow through the perforations in partition a, through the grating a, becoming thoroughly mixed with each other in their passage, and through the inlet-port 1) into the cylinder. The cock 0 is opened more and more as the operation proceeds. When a sufficient. supply of the combustible or explosive mixture has been drawn into the cylinder the supply is cut off by the valve G, which is lifted by the cam L, so as to bring the opening b opposite the port I). As the intermittent burner 61 has been previously lighted by the constantburnercand the flame of burner d [ills the space b, it follows that at the instant the opening I) and port I) register the mixture within the cylinder is fired, its explosion or combustion takes place, and the piston is forced upward by the pressure. of the expanded gases and vapors below it, com municating motive power to the driving-shaft M of the machine. The piston, on its return, compresses the gases, which, after a certain time, attain a pressure. equal to that of theatmosphere, and then exhaust freely through the pipe T. It should be borne in mind that the volume of the gases, after the piston has been forced upward, is very quickly diminished, the operation being aided by the water circulation. \Vhile the exhaust takes place the distributing slide-valve descends, and the orifices occupy the same relative position that they have when the gas and air are introduced. Unless, therefore, suitable means were used to prevent theescape of the gases of combustion through these orifices this would take place and impair the operation of the machine. This (lifficulty is overcome by means of the oscillation of the cylinder, owing to which the air-inlet port t in the counter-plate H is closed by the piece j, and also the gas-supply regulating-cock e is shut by the operation of the lever-arm g and pin it until the time arrives for the admission of the air and gas to take place. 0001 water is admitted by the tube 5 to the water-chamber in the walls of the cylinder, and as it becomes heated by contact with said walls it rises. After reaching the top it descends by a special passage and escapes by the tube 8.

Instead of employing a water-chamber, the exterior of the cylinder may be formed so as to give an extended cooling-surface.

Although the oscillation of the cylinder on an axis below the latteris preferred, the cylinder can be hung to oscillate about an axis at any other point-as, for example, it can be supported upon trunnions at orabout the middle ofthe cylinder. In this case the admission of the combustible mixture would be made by a system of rotary valves disposed on one of the trunnions, and the exhaust take place by the other.

Motors or engines in accordance with this invention can be made of any desired power, and the forms of materials and dimensions of the various parts can be varied. The cylinder can be placed in such position as industrial use may require.

Having thus fully explained the said invention and the manner of carrying the same into effect, what I claim is 1. The combination, with an oscillating cylinder, of valve mechanism, as set forth, for regulating the admission of gas and air into the cylinder for eflecting its combustion and for allowing the burned gases to escape after the action has ceased, substantially as described. I

2. The combination, in a gas motor or engine with a cylinder supported to turn on an axis at one end thereof, of valve mechanism,

substantially as described, for effecting the introduction and lighting of the combustible or explosive mixture and allowing the escape of the burned products.

3. Asingle-actingoscillatinggas-motorcomprising an oscillating cylinder with a head at one end and provided with a cross-bar at the other, a piston, a piston-rod fastened to said piston and guided by said cross-bar, and valve mechanism, as set forth, in part carried by and oscillating with said cylinder and operating to effect the introduction ofthe com bustible or explosive mixture into the cylinder between the piston and cylinder-head, its combustion and escape, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the oscillating cylinder, ofthe oscillating and reciprocating slidevalve and its counter-plate, substantially as described.

.gas pass together to said outlet, said mixing chamber and perforated plate or grating being in the interior of said valve, substantially as described. 7 The combination of the oscillating cylinder, piston, distributing-valve mechanism having air and gas inlets, a grating or perforated plate, a constant and an intermittent burner, and a counter-plate and exhaust-valve, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH RAVEL.

Witnesses:

R0131. M. HOOPER, t V "CHARLES MARDELOT. 

